Iraqi forces attack Camp Ashraf

Conferences

19 May 2012

And I thought of the event a year ago. I think it was a hotel downtown and many of you were there. Mukasey and I were there. And a lot of these distinguished panelists obviously in the last year, if you look at who they are, military people, republicans, democrats, cabinet secretaries, this is not a partisan issue.

I always was told if Alan Dershowitz were on my side, I'm on the side of the angels. I thought that would be funny, but I guess not. (Laughter.)

So I come to you today with, I guess, with this smile because I try to be an optimist. And I look at what has happened in the last year and I see the premise of many at the time when the Obama administration took office.

I was very attracted to the fact that the president said, we negotiate with our enemies. We negotiate with North Korea. Of course not with Al-Qaeda and many others; but, you know, with Iran. Maybe it makes sense to open a dialogue. I mean, that was the early posture.

Look what has happened in the last three years. A dialogue was initiated by the United States but slapped down by the government of Iran consistently. Going to negotiations on nuclear enrichment and not being serious. Kidnapping Americans and many others. Making provocative statements about the Jewish Holocaust and not being part of the international community.

So what happens was sanctions were brought on. The most powerful sanctions in many years because Europe and other nations joined us. They were banking sanctions, military sanctions, some energy sanctions.

And the European Union said we still should talk about Iranian enrichment. Talks are going on but every time, the Iranian government either stalls or is not serious or is buying time.

And I suspect what they're going to do now with this potential MeK de-listing is they're going to say, oh, we're now ready to negotiate. I can just tell fairly soon some statement coming out.

But I don't think it justifies a recognition that Iran is serious. They're not. They're not serious.

Look what they're doing in the Middle East. Look what they're doing propping up Syria, the most repressive government on earth today. Killing people. Look what they do with Hamas and Hezbollah. Look what they do with the trafficking of weapons and uranium.

Look what they do in disrupting what's happening all around the world in Afghanistan and the state leading sponsor of terrorism.

So that justification that some threw out, oh, you know, we're in negotiations with Iran, should automatically, I believe, be discarded.

But I like to focus on the positive. Why de-list the MeK? I think there are a lot of reasons, a lot of reasons that were given here by our military leaders, by the Attorney General, by institutional scholars, by many others that have expertise, a lot more than I do on Camp Ashraf and Camp Liberty and what's happened in Iran and the reactions of the Maliki government.

But I like to list these decisions because I've been in those decision making capacities where you weigh the options and the answer is what is, in the National Security of the United States.

And first, obviously the MeK is far from being a terrorist organization. They have helped us. They have given us valuable intelligence. They have worked hand-in-hand with our military leaders.

So at the same time that we're saying this designation should remain, the valuable help they have given to America should not be discounted.

Secondly, I mentioned the relationship with Iran. I want you all to know, I don't know if you agree with this, but I think these sanctions on Iran are working. They're not perfect. But they're squeezing them.

You can tell by the way they are treating their oil, sort of stockpiling it. By the way they're a little more serious in their statements about negotiating. They're not doing it but it is obvious that these sanctions, because they're more widespread, they involve more countries, that somehow they are working and they should be given this chance to work.

Iran represses its own people. That is another reason. America should always stand on behalf of those that support democracy.

Iran, right now, their behavior in terms of dealing with their own people and their conduct in international foreign policy is something that does not warrant any kind of strong, strong working together.

Senior military officers have acknowledged on multiple occasions that the MeK's intelligence has played a positive and effective role in saving the lives of American soldiers by exposing the threats and dangers of Iran's terrorist interventions. The fact that our military leaders have said that.

2008, the United Kingdom, America's closest ally removed the MeK from the list of prescribed organizations and lifted all of the consequent restrictions.

In 2009, the Council Of Ministers of the European Union voted unanimously to remove the MeK from the European Union's list of terrorist organizations.

Back to General Mukasey's point. In July 2010 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit held that the Department of State's designation of the MeK was faulty because it violated the due process rights of that group.

And this designation of the MeK has been used by Iranian surrogates in Iraq as well as the Maliki government in Iraq to attack MeK members in Camp Ashraf or impose inhumane restrictions on them which has led to the loss of life.

Now, there's one thing that the General said that I don't -- well, I won't say I don't agree with. But I think he was more saying -- he said that politics should not enter a decision like this. Probably not.

But have you ever heard of a decision in Washington made without politics? And the politics here, I don't know if it is politics, I heard the Secretary of State say that one of the factors in the decision was the conduct, the behavior of the MeK members as they were transferred.

The behavior has been exemplar. There's been cooperation. There have been all kinds of assistance that the MeK organizations in Paris and others have given.

By the way, I'm going to say something that you may not agree with. I think that Ambassador Fried is sincere, I do, I talked to him. He's trying. This is not an easy issue. He's trying. I think the administration is trying to do the right thing.

Look, they haven't made the wrong decision, the decision is imminent.

So I think what we need to do is recognize that maybe there's a light at the end of the tunnel. And so what we do between now and then should be to continue these efforts, not just in the United States but all around the world. All around Europe.

And also look at the longer range. The longer range is also, and I don't think anyone has brought this up. The relocation of these individuals, they deserve to be part of a family of nations. I don't know what nation, whether it's America or other European countries. They deserve to be treated right. They deserve that free passage, that safe passage.

And those European countries that are going to be watching that right now are saying, oh, you know, we're all for the Camp Ashraf individuals, but somehow when they're asked, were you going to take some of these individuals in your country? And they say, whoa, whoa, let's wait and see where this issue ends up.

I think we have to have a continued effort. But I want to just say here and I, too, want to join in the praise that was given to Patrick Kennedy -- I love to be introduced with a guy with such hair and great teeth -- (Laughter.)

MR. RICHARDSON: You know the Kennedy legacy here in the United States but, you know, we were introduced by a Senator, a conservative Senator from Missouri on the Intelligence Committee. 100 members of Congress have signed a resolution. 100 members of the House. That's a lot. I mean, we have come a long way in one year.

And it's republicans and democrats, about 50/50, I don't know, maybe I'm wrong here; but, again, I just want to say to you the time to de-list is now. There's one thing that we need to do is keep that strong, positive pressure on based on facts. And if a little politics place in the way, so be it. Thank you.